Chairs



J. J. NASH March 13, 1962 CHAIRS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 22, 1966 FIG. 4

INVENTOR. JOHN J. NASH WWW ATTORNEY J. J- NASH March 13, 1962 CHAIRS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 22, 1960 INVENTOR. JOHN J. NASH ATTORNEY 5 I I L- March 13, 1962 J. J. NASH 3,025,105

CHAIRS Filed April 22, 1960 4. Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. 35' JOHN J. NASH WMA- r -rnpucv March 13, 1962 J, NASH 3,025,105

CHAIRS Filed April 22, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. JOHN J. NASH ATTORNEY hired 3,25,l@5 Fatenteol Mar. 13, 1962 3,025,105 CHAIRS John J. Nash, Ferguson, Mo., assignor to Chromcraft Corporation, St. Louis, Mo, a corporation of Missouri Filed Apr. 22, 1960, Ser. No. 24,151 7 Claims. (Cl. 297-239) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in chairs.

At the present time, hotels, churches and similar user of chairs are presented with a serious storage problem. When auditoriums are used to seat people, it must be filled with chairs, but when used for dances or similar social functions, the floor must be cleared and the chairs stored elsewhere. For years folding chairs have been used to meet this need but such chairs are not overly comfortable and, moreover, require an appreciable amount of time and effort to set up or take down. A similar problem confronts the manufacturer and reseller in shipping and warehousing such chairs. In order to economize on shipping costs, it is desirable to package and ship chairs, which have been completely assembled at the manufacturers plant, in a stacked condition whereby a substantial amount of shipping space is saved.

For these various reasons, the chairs should be so designed and constructed that they may be telescopically nested one on the other, such that a stack of chairs will nest snugly and compactly upon each other and will not be likely to become damaged when so nested.

When such chairs are used in large auditoriums, exhibition rooms, and the like, it is also desirable to provide means for retaining the chairs in interlocked horizontally aligned relationship with respect to each other, whereby a row of relatively fixed seats in the auditorium, or the like, may be readily formed.

it is, therefore, one of the objects of the present invention to provide a chair which is adaptable for shipping and storage in telescopically stacked relation with other similar chairs and which is provided with interlocking means for aligning a plurality of said chairs in horizontal registration in an auditorium, exhibition room, or the like.

it is also an object of the present invention to provide a chair having a frame so constructed that a plurality of completely assembled chairs may be telescopically nested one upon the other for purposes of shipment without becoming interlocked with or damaging the chair either above or below it.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a chair of the type stated in which the chair may be telescopically stacked with other chairs of the same type in such manner that the seat is held in slightly spaced relation from the immediately adjacent chairs.

It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a chair of the type stated in which the means for holding the chair in telescopically stacked relation also functions as a means for interlocking with an adjacent chair of the same type to provide-an aligned horizontal row.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention resides in the novel features of form, construction, arrangement, and combination of parts presently described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings (four sheets)- PIG. 1 is a perspective view of a chair constructed in accordance with and embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view thereof;

FIG. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of a plurality of chairs in vertically stacked relation;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view thereof;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along line 9-9 of FIG. 3;

PEG. 10 is a fragmentary front elevational view of a modified chair;

FIGS. 11 and 12 are fragmentary left and right side elevational views thereof, respectively;

FIG. 13 is a fragmentary front elevational View of a pair of the chairs embodying a modified form of the present invention showing said chairs in interlocked horizontal relation;

FIG. 14 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 14-14 of FIG. 13;

FIG. 15 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of the modified form of chair shown in FIG. 13;

FIG. 16 is a fra mentary front elevational view of a further modified form of chair constructed in accordance with and embodying the present invention;

FIGS. 17 and 18 are right and left side views of the interlocking mechanism forming a part of the present invention;

FIG. 19 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the chairs of FIG. 16 illustrating the method of interlocking;

FIG. 20 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view taken along line 20-28 of FIG. 19; and

FIG. 21 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 21-21 of FIG. 19.

Referring now in more detail and by reference characters to the drawings, which illustrate practical embodiments of the present invention, A designates a chair integrally comprising a frame member 1 formed of hollow metallic tubing and a seat portion 2, the seat portion 2 being preferably, though not necessarily, a single piece of molded plastic which is secured to the frame member 1 to form an integral structure therewith. The frame member 1 comprises a forward tubular member 3 and a rear tubular member 4. The forward tubular member 3 is substantially U-shaped and includes a pair of parallel legs 5, 6, which are integrally joined by a bight 7, the bight 7 having a centrally located horizontal portion 8 which is connected to the legs 5, 6, respectively, by downwardly angled portions 9, it), in such manner that the horizontal portion 8 is displaced above the bends i1, 12, which join the legs 5, 6, to the portions 9, 1d. The rear tubular member 4 is also substantially U-shaped and includes a pair of parallel legs 13, 14, which are integrally joined by a bight 15 having a centrally located horizontal portion 1-5 which is connected to the legs 13, M, by a pair of opposing upwardly extending portions 17, 18, in such manner that the bends 19, 20, of the rear tubular member 4- are spaced above the horizontal portion 16, as shown in FIG. 2. It should be noted that the legs 5, 6, and 13, 14, are respectively coplanar and that the complementary legs 5, 13, and 6, 14, of the forward and rear tubular members 3, 4,. are likewise coplanar with respect to each other.

Welded to, and extending between, the horizontal portions 8, 16, in spaced relation is a pair of diverging fiat bars 21, 22, which are respectively provided with spaced apertures 23, 24, and 25, 26, for purposes presently more fully appearing. Welded to, and extending between, the complementary legs 5, 13, and 6, 14, are brackets 27, 23, comprising rung-forming horizontal bights 29, 30, a pair of outer downwardly projecting elements 31, 32, 33, 34-, lower horizontal elements 35, 36, 37, 38, and up- Wardly extending elements 39, 40, 41, 42. It should be noted that the elements 29, 31, 35, 39, and 29, 32, 36, 40, in combination, define a pair of quadrilateral rein- 3 forcing frames 43, 44, on the bracket 27, and in like manner, the elements 34 33, 37, 41, and 3t}, 34, 38, 42, also define a pair of spaced quadrilateral reinforcing frames 45, 46, on the bracket 28.

Inserted in the lower extremities of the legs 5, 6, 13, 14, are glides 47 each comprising a tubular shell 48 having an integrally formed concave dome 49 at one end thereof, the concave dome 49 being provided with a centrally located aperture 5%. The glide 47 includes a spring-like element 51 and a sliding element 52 which is preferably, though not necessarily, composed of a material having a low coefiicient of friction, such as Teflon, polyethylene, or the like, for slidable movement over a floor 1 without causing unsightly scratching or marring. The slide 52 includes an upwardly projecting convex dome 53 which is complementary in size to the concave dome 49 and which is in abutment therewith. Preferably, though not necessarily, the slide 52 has a metallic cover 54 of the same material as the tubular members 3, 4, to preserve the attractive metallic appearance of the chair. The spring 51 and the slide 52 are also provided with centrally located apertures 55, '56, the aperture 56 and the slide 52 being somewhat enlarged, and the spring 51 and the slide 52 are riveted to the shell 48 by means of a rivet 57 which extends through the aligned apertures 50, '55, 56, as shown in FIG. 9. The enlarged aperture 56 and the slide 52 permits pivotal movement of the slide 52 with respect to the shell 48, whereby the same glide 47 may be used in each of the legs 5, 6, 1 3, 14, and support the chair A securely on the floor f.

The seat portion 2 is preferably, though not necessarily, fabricated from a single piece of fibrous reinforced synthetic resin, such as fiber-glass, and includes a seat 58 and a back Sit, which are contoured to conform to the human body in the seated position. The seat 58 and the back 59 are provided with a continuous encircling rim 6G for structural support. Bonded to the underside of the seat 58 in spaced relation are rubber disks 61, 62, 63, 64, each of which is of limited resiliency and includes a conventional nut 11 rigidly embedded therein. The rubber disks 61, 62, 63, 64, are located on the seat 58 in such manner that the threaded portions of the nuts 11 will be in substantial alignment with the apertures 23, 24, 25, 26, in the fiat bars 21, 22, whereby, when bolts b, having lock-washers l, are passed through the apertures in the fiat bars 21, 22, and secured to the nuts 11, the seat portion 2 and the frame member 1 will be firmly secured one to the other. It should be noted that the seat 58 is slightly narrower in transverse dimension than the overall distance between the leg members 5, 6, and 13, 14, as shown in FIG. 2. It should also be noted that the horizontal bights 29, 30, of the brackets 27, 28, are horizontally coplanar.

When a plurality of chairs A are to be shipped or stored, the chairs A are stacked in vertically nested relationship in the manner shown in FIG. 6, one chair A being placed directly on top of a second chair A in such manner that the horizontal bights 29, 30, respectively rest on the bends 11, 19, and 12, 20, of the tubular members 3, 4, whereby the seat portion 2 of the upper chair A is held in spaced relation from the seat portion 2 of the lower chair A, as shown in FIG. 6. The reinforcing frames 43, 44, 45, 46, defined by the elements of the brackets 27, 23, coact with the bends 11, 12, 19, 28, to retain the various chairs in the vertically stacked position, the elements 35, 36, coacting with the legs 5, 13, to prevent the chairs A from moving from left to right, and the elements 37, 38, coacting with the legs 6, 14, to prevent the chairs A from moving right to left with respect to each other, as shown by FIGS. 7 and 8. In addition, it can be readily seen that, when the chairs A are vertically stacked, the chairs are prevented from moving forwardly and rearwardly by the coaction between the elements 31, 32, 33, 34, and the legs '5, 13, 6, 14, respectively. Thus, it can be seen that, when the chair is desired to be placed into a shipping condition, a substantial plurality of chairs may be stacked one upon the other, resulting in a reasonably rigid structure which is suitable for safe, harmless shipping.

With particular reference to FIGS. 10 to 15, inclusive, A designates a modified form of chair, which is substantially similar to the chair A except that it is provided with brackets 27, 28, which respectively include horizontal nights 29', 3%, pairs of downwardly projecting elements 31'32 33-34', pairs of lower horizontal elements 3536, 37-38, and upwardly extending returns 3--4t-, 41-42. The returns 3'4ti and d1'42 are located in position to rest upon the bends 11, 19, and 12, 20, respectively, when the chairs A are stacked in very much the same manner as the previously described elements 35, 36, 37, 38, of the chair A shown in FIG. 6. However, the bracket 28 diifers from the bracket 2%" in that the elements 35, 36, are longer than the elements 37, 3%, as can be seen by comparison of FTGS. ll and 12. Moreover, these elements 35, 36, 37', 3 3, are located outwardly with respect to the legs 5, 6, so that when two chairs A are placed in side-by-side relation these elements can be interengaged or hooked into one another, so to speak, as shown in FIGS. 13, 14, and 15. The chairs A can, therefore, be stacked or ganged as the user wishes.

It is also possible to provide a further modified form of chair B as shown in FIGS. 16 to 2l, inclusive, which is substantially similar in construction with the previously described chairs A and A, insofar as the stacking feature is concerned. However, the chair B is provided with brackets 65, 66, which integrally include horizontal rungforming bights 67, 68, downwardly extending pairs of elements 69-70, 71-72, and inwardly turned horizontal elements 73-7 i, 7576, respectively. The elements 7374 of the bracket 65 are integrally joined at their inner ends to upwardly extending vertical legs 77, 78, respectively, which are, in turn, bent outwardly adjacent their upper ends in the provision of U-shaped retention hooks 79, 853'. At their uppermost ends the legs 77, '78, are integrally joined to outwardly extending horizontal elements 81, 82, which are displaced inwardly and upwardly in relation to the elements 73, 74, respectively. These elements 81, 32, engage the bends 11, 19, of the leg 5 for stacking purposes in the manner heretofore described.

Similarly, the elements 75, 76, of the bracket 66 are integrally joined at their inner ends with upwardly extending somewhat vertical legs 83, 34, which are bent laterally toward the chair B in the formation of offset elements 85, 86, and these are, in turn, bent outwardly in the provision of horizontal elements 87, 38, which are displaced inwardly and upwardly in relation to the elements 75, 76. These elements 87, 88, engage the bends 19, 2%, of the leg 6 for stacking purposes in the manner heretofore described.

As may be seen by reference to FIGS. 19, 20, and 21, two of the chairs B may be engaged in side-by-side relation, or ganged so to speak, by lifting one of them several inches upwardly until its bracket 66 is well above the bracket 65 of the adjacent chair B. In this relative position the legs 83, 84, are vertically over the retention books 79, 8%, and when the lifted chair B is moved straight down again so as to rest upon the floor, these legs 83, 84, will drop into engagement behind the hooks 79, 80, and the two chairs B will thereby be held in ganged position. This arrangement forms a very positive lock between the two chairs B but is, nevertheless, easy to engage or disengage as may be desired. Moreover, for greatest universality in use, it is often desirable to set a number of chairs B beside each other, as for instance around banquet tables, and under such circumstances the chairs are not ganged. When so used, the ganging arrangement of the present invention will not become unauthorizedly or accidentally interlocked.

It should be understood that changes and modifications in the form, construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts of the chairs may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the nature and principle of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what 1 claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A chair comprising a frame including forward and rear tubular members which are secured together in spaced relation by support means, said forward tubular member including a first bight and a first pair of spaced parallel legs which are integrally connected to said first bight through a first pair of arcuate bends, said rear tubular member including a second bight and a second pair of spaced parallel legs which are integrally connected to the second bight through a second pair of arcuate bends, said first pair of legs defining a first plane which projects downwardly and forwardly away from the first bight, said second pair of legs defining a second plane which projects downwardly and rearwardly away from the second bight, the legs common to one transverse side of the frame defining a third plane, the legs common to the other transverse side of the frame defining a fourth plane, seat means secured to the frame and sized smaller in width than said frame whereby each of the first and second pairs of bends are outwardly spaced from the transverse margins of the seat means, a first bracket secured to and extending between the legs lying in the third plane, a second bracket secured to and extending etween the legs lying in the fourth plane, each of said brackets being oblique to the planes defined by the legs to which said brackets are attached and each including a horizontal member which is offset and inwardly spaced from the respective planes, said horizontal members being sized slightly longer than the spacing between the bends associated with the legs common to the third and fourth planes, whereby when one chair is placed on top of a second chair of like construction the horizontal members of the upper chair will engage the bends of the frame on the er chair and thereby support the chairs in spaced separation.

2. The chair of claim 1 wherein the brackets also include a pair of downwardly projecting members adapted for engaging the forward and rear surfaces of the forward and rear legs in the third and fourth planes when said one chair is placed upon said second chair whereby to prevent inadvertent forward and rear movement when the chairs are vertically stacked, and each of said brackets also include a pair of short horizontally extending elements which are outwardly spaced from the third and fourth planes respectively and are adapted for engaging the transverse surfaces of the legs when said one chair is placed on said second chair whereby to prevent inadvertent transverse movement when the chairs are vertically stacked.

3. The chair of claim 2 wherein the brackets are provided with means for interlocking a plurality of said chairs in side-by-side relation.

4. The chair of claim 1 wherein the brackets also include a pair of downwardly projecting members adapted for engaging the forward and rear surfaces of the forward and rear legs in the third and fourth planes when said one chair is placed upon said second chair whereby to prevent inadvertent forward and rear movement when the chairs are vertically stacked, each of said brackets also include a pair of short horizontally extending elements which are outwardly spaced from the third and fourth planes respectively and are adapted for engaging the transverse surfaces of the legs when said one chair is placed on said second chair whereby to prevent inadvertent transverse movement when the chairs are vertically stacked, the angle between the first bracket and the third plane is greater than the angle between the second bracket and the fourth plane, the downwardly pro ecting members of the first bracket are longer than the downwardly projecting members of the second bracket, and the short horizontal elements of the first bracket are of less length than the short horizontal elements of the second bracket whereby when two chairs of the above construction are placed side-by-side the horizontal elements of the first bracket of one chair will extend over and below the horizontal elements of the second chair, thereby establishing an interlocked side-by-side arrangement of the two chairs.

5. A chair comprising a frame including a forward tubular member and a rear tubular member, said forward tubular member being provided with a first pair of downwardly diverging legs, said first pair of legs being integrally attached to said forward tubular member by a first pair of arcuate bends, said legs further defining a first plane which projects downwardly and forwardly from the first arcuate bend, said rear tubular member also being provided with a second pair of downwardly diverging legs, said second pair of legs being integrally attached to said rear tubular member by a second pair of arcuate bends, said second pair of legs defining a second plane which projects downwardly and rearwardly away from said second arcuate bends, the legs common to one transverse side of the frame defining a third plane, the legs common to the other transverse side of the frame defining a fourth plane, a pair of rearwardly diverging fiat bars secured to and extending between the rear and forward tubular members, a seat having mounting means on its underside for rigid securement to the flat bars, said mounting means including resilient disk means, said seat being sized smaller in width than said frame, so that each of the first and second pairs of arcuate bends are outwardly spaced from the transverse margins of the seat, a first bracket secured to and extending between the legs lying in the third plane, a second bracket secured to and extending between the legs lying in the fourth plane, each of said brackets being oblique to the planes defined by the legs to which said brackets are attached, and each of said brackets having a horizontal member which is ofiset and inwardly spaced from the respective planes, said horizontal members being sized slightly longer than the spac ing between the bends associated with the legs common to the third and fourth planes, whereby when one chair is placed on top of a second chair of like construction the horizontal members of the upper chair will engage the bends of the frame on the lower chair and thereby support the chairs in spaced separation.

6. The chair of claim 5 wherein the brackets are provided with means for interlocking a plurality of chairs in side-by-side relation.

7. The chair of claim 5 wherein the brackets also include a pair of downwardly projecting members adapted for engaging the forward and rear surfaces of the first and second pairs of legs in the third and fourth planes when one chair is placed upon a second chair whereby to prevent inadvertent forward and rear movement when the chairs are vertically stacked, and each of said brackets also including a pair of short horizontally extending elements which are outwardly spaced from the third and fourth planes respectively and are adapted for engaging the transverse surfaces of the legs when one chair is placed on said second chair whereby to prevent inadvertent transverse movement when the chairs are vertically stacked.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 182,790 Cohen May 20, 1958 2,505,532 Ernst Apr. 25, 1950 2,893,469 Eames July 7, 1959 2,980,454 Thaden Apr. 18, 1961 FORETGN PATENTS 510,570 Great Britain Aug. 3, 1939 601,889 Great Britain May 13, 1948 882,290 Germany July 6, 1953 1,094,893 France Dec. 15, 1954 1,175,507 France g Nov. 17, 1958 

